Related papers: Diagnosing pulsar winds in black-widow, redback, a…
We collect new and archival optical observations of nine "black-widow" millisecond pulsar binaries. New measurements include direct imaging with the Keck, Gemini-S, MDM, and LCO 2~m telescopes. This is supplemented by synthesized colors…
We address several issues regarding the interpretation of galactic \ggg-ray sources. We consider powerful pulsars in binaries producing X-ray and gamma-ray {\it unpulsed} emission from the shock interaction of relativistic pulsar winds with…
Black widows and redbacks are binary systems consisting of a millisecond pulsar in a close binary with a companion having matter driven off of its surface by the pulsar wind. X-rays due to an intra-binary shock have been observed from many…
We describe the first X-ray observations of five short orbital period ($P_B < 1$ day), $\gamma$-ray emitting, binary millisecond pulsars. Four of these, PSRs J0023+0923, J1124$-$3653, J1810+1744, and J2256$-$1024 are `black-widow' pulsars,…
Black widows are close binary systems in which a millisecond pulsar is orbited by a companion a few per cent the mass of the sun. It has been suggested that the pulsar's rotationally powered $\gamma$-ray luminosity gradually evaporates the…
Binaries harbouring millisecond pulsars enable a unique path to determine neutron star masses: radio pulsations reveal the motion of the neutron star, while that of the companion can be characterised through studies in the optical range.…
We present optical time-resolved multi-band photometry of the black widow binary millisecond pulsar J2052+1219 using direct-imaging observations with the 2.1m telescope of Observatorio Astronomico Nacional San Pedro Martir, Mexico…
Young, intermediate-mass stars are experiencing renewed interest as targets for direct-imaging planet searches. However, these types of stars are part of multiple systems more often than not. Close stellar companions affect the formation…
We report on a series of spectroscopic observations of PSR J1311-3430, an extreme black-widow gamma-ray pulsar with a helium-star companion. In a previous study we estimated the neutron star mass as M_NS= 2.68+/-0.14M_Sun (statistical…
Pulsars are neutron stars that rotate rapidly. Most of the pulsars in binary systems tend to spin faster than those in isolation. According to binary evolution theory, radio pulsars in binary systems can have various types of companion…
The winds from a non-accreting pulsar and a massive star in a binary system collide forming a bow-shaped shock structure. The Coriolis force induced by orbital motion deflects the shocked flows, strongly affecting their dynamics. We study…
Companion stars exposed to high energy radiation from a primary neutron star or accreting black hole can experience significant spallation of their heavy elements, so that their atmospheres would be extremely rich in lithium, beryllium, and…
We examine the growing data set of binary millisecond pulsars that are thought to have a helium white dwarf companion. These systems are believed to form when a low- to intermediate-mass companion to a neutron star fills its Roche lobe…
Nonlinear electromagnetic waves with superluminal phase velocity can propagate in the winds around isolated pulsars, and around some pulsars in binary systems. Using a short-wavelength approximation, we find and analyze an integrable system…
In gamma-ray binaries neutron star is orbiting a companion that produces a strong stellar wind. We demonstrate that observed properties of "stellar wind"-"pulsar wind" interaction depend both on the overall wind thrust ratio, as well as…
Context. In binary star systems, the winds from the two components impact each other, leading to strong shocks and regions of enhanced density and temperature. Potentially habitable circumbinary planets must continually be exposed to these…
In spider pulsar systems, a relativistic intrabinary shock forms when the pulsar wind collides with the massive outflow driven off the pulsar's low-mass stellar companion. The shock is a site of non-thermal particle acceleration, likely via…
The dynamics of the wind-wind collision in massive stellar binaries is investigated using three-dimensional hydrodynamical models which incorporate gravity, the driving of the winds, the orbital motion of the stars, and radiative cooling of…
Massive star binaries are critical laboratories for measuring masses and stellar wind mass-loss rates. A major challenge is inferring viewing inclination and extracting information about the colliding wind interaction (CWI) region.…
Evolution of a large part of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) leads to the formation of rapidly rotating pulsars with a helium white dwarf (He WD) companion. Observations indicate that some He WDs in binary pulsar systems are ultracool (with…